China wrestles with severe smog

Published Feb 27, 2014 at 12:01AM

Children walk home after school Wednesday on a severely polluted day in Shijiazhuang, in northern China’s Hebei province.

A huge swath of northeast China — more than 10 percent of the country’s landmass — has been engulfed in toxic smog. Beijing’s air quality index, as measured by the U.S. Embassy, had hit “hazardous” territory for a sixth day running Tuesday, and no relief was expected in the capital until at least today.

About 150 industrial companies have either halted or curbed production to cut down on emissions, Beijing has dispatched tanker trucks to spray roads with water to reduce particulates, and the state-run Xinhua news agency is reminding people to avoid outdoor activities and to wear masks.